Apparatus for collecting and assorting fibers.



M. E. RYAN.

APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND ASSORTING FIBERS. APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1909.

1,024,148, Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

a% wmwm .IINITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE- MICHAEL EMMET RYAN, OF FALLRIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND ASSORTING FIBERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL EMMET RYAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fall River, county of Bristol, Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Collecting and Assorting Fibers, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to the collection and assortment of fibers andparticularly to such use in connection with machines which shave aportion of the fiber growth from a fur pelt. In this art it is alwaysimportant to save the hair or fiber growth as each part of such growthis of value.

It is the object of my present invention to provide apparatus forcollecting and assorting various kinds of hair and fiber found on a furbearing pelt after the same has been shaved, clipped or cut therefrom.

The construction and operation of my ap paratus will be more fullydescribed in the specification which follows. In that specification andin the drawings which form a part of it, I shall make particularreference to and have shown a form of my invention which I find welladapted to practical use.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals areemployed to indicate corresponding parts and in the drawings is shown aperspective View of a collecting and assorting system in conjunctionwith a shaving machine".

As affording a basis for the understanding of such a product as myapparatus is adapted to handle, I will first describe a shaving machinewhich I have chosen as an illustrative example of the source of supplyfor my collector and distributer. This machine consists of a shaft 1,driven by a pulley 2 on which is a shell 3 having spiral knives 4. Belowthis rotary cutter just described is a cylindrical support 6, preferablycomposed of rubber, mounted on a shaft 7 suitably driven by a pulley 8.A bar 9 adjustably mounted in the slide 10 moves in slideways 12 in theframe 13, and is normally held out by the springs 14. The skin or peltis drawn across the central portion of the bar 9 by the workman, andadvanced or allowed to retreat by the position of the body of theworkman against the slide 10. The pelt folded across the bar 9 istherefore advanced so that the tips of the growth on the pelt is broughtbetween Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 1909.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 491,460.

the rapidly rotating blades 7 and the sup port 6 so that the tips of thefibers may be shaved off.

Behind the shaving knives 4 is a flue or conductor 20 leading to aconduit 21 in which a belt 22 runs in the direction of the arrow in Fig.1 on rollers 28. At the end of the conduit 21 is a fan 24: which drawsthrough the conduit 21 and the conductor 20 the shaved hairs which areleft by the shaving knives 4 after they are cut from the pelt. The fan24: makes a draft through the conduit 21 and draws through all of thefiner portions of the shaved hairs. The heavier portions are collectedon the belt 22 and are conveyed to the base of the fan from which theyare distributed, together with the finer particles, and carried by theair into the conduit 25. At the end of the conduit 25 is a screen 26 andin the side of the conduit are traps 27. The screen 26 prevents theescape of the finest and lightest of hairs which are carried to the endof the conduit 25, while the traps 27 which are arranged along theconduit at intervals permit access to the interior of the conduit totake up the various weights of hair or fiber as they are deposited alongthe length. As the hairs are carried through the conduit 25 they will bedeposited in the order of their weight, the lighter particles beingcarried farthest. In this manner the clipped hair is automaticallysorted into the grades. In this manner I am able to secure from my wastehairs those finer grades which bring a much higher price than do thecheaper grades comprising hair in which the coarser grades are present.

In addition to the hair clipped by the machine described, they will alsobe present the loose or dead hairs which fly from the pelt or arestripped oif along the heated creases or folds which form in the fursduring shipment. These fibers are all col lected in my apparatus and aresorted as of value. It will therefore be seen that by my apparatus amaterial which as it comes from the cutters in mixed condition ispractically waste and worth no more than the value of fibers of thecoarsest grade, is converted into a useful graded product in which softhairs are rendered available at their full value, while the lessvaluable grades are each made available for separate uses.

Various modifications may obviously be made and are intended to beincluded as within the spirit of my invention if within the limits ofthe appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In adevice of the class described, a conduit, means for shaving the hairs ofa pelt, means for delivering the shaved hairs in said conduit, anendless belt in said conduit adapted to receive and convey said shavedhairs, a blower at the point of return of said endless belt and disposedwith its intake adjacent thereto, a second conduit connected to thedelivery of said blower and said second conduit having openings for theremoval of distributed hairs at predetermined points along said conduit.

2. In a device of the class described, a

conduit, a receiver for hairs and suitably connected to deliver saidhairs to said conduit, an endless belt in said conduit adapted toreceive and convey said hairs, a blower at the point of return of saidendless belt and disposed with its intake adjacent thereto, a secondconduit connected to the delivery side of said blower and openings alongsaid second conduit for the removal of distributed hairs atpredetermined points.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL EMMET RYAN.

Witnesses EDWARD F. I-IANIFY, THOMAS F. HAGGINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of latents' Washington, D. 0.

